I am quite certain there is no such thing as a good "goodbye" when you're saying it to someone who you want in your life forever. Sadly, we had to do that with the Matriarch of our family, our beloved grandmother/mother/friend, who is also one of the greatest woman we have ever known.

I am writing this nomination of Edriss Drammeh on behalf of myself and my family, including Grandma, as I think it is what she would want.

During her time at St. Marys, she received care from several kind people, and one in particular whom we formed a closer bond with...Edriss. He is sincere, caring, genuine and also made us laugh. He always explained things as he was doing them and when any of us had questions, he'd answer the best he could and if he didn't know, he'd find out and report back. He always asked Grandma if she was comfortable and if there was anything he could do to make her more comfortable. He also always asked us if there was anything we needed or wanted while we were there with her.

When he first met Grandma, he told her his name (Edriss). She didn't have her hearing aids in at the time, and thought he said, "Brian", and so started calling him that. Edriss did not skip a beat, nor did he correct her. He continued right on doing what he was doing to care for her. Later, Grandma read her board and it said Edriss was her nurse for the day. It was then that she realized she was calling Edriss, "Brian". She apologized the moment she could and of course Edriss was very sweet, accepted her apology, and said something along the lines of no worries, Brian is much better than some other things she could have called him. Our family, being our family, continued to call him Brian..and Edriss played along. It also became a joke between him and some of the other staff too.

One night, Edriss did not say "goodnight/see you later" to Grandma when he was done with his shift. Whoa! He sure heard about that when he returned! So, from then on he made sure to tell her when he was leaving and when he would be back again. I was there one of those nights, and he said he'd be back on Tuesday and by then Grandma would be ready to dance. He knew Grandma loved dancing! For Edriss to say things like that made us all feel that he really cared to get to know Grandma and our family as people rather than her being "just" his patient and he being "just" her nurse. With his optimism, he helped to keep her spirits up as best he could. He meshed well with her and our family, being kind and caring and at the same time bantering and joking with us.

Grandma had planned to knit him a blanket for when he and his wife's first baby is born. If I could knit, I would do that, however that is not something I have learned how to do. So instead, I thought I would write this nomination of Edriss for the DAISY Award as another way to express our gratitude and recognize him again for everything he did to help Grandma and the rest of our family as well.

He was her nurse on the day she passed. We were there with her for a few hours after that, and he came in the room several times to ask if there was anything he could get us, anything he could do. For me, I think one of the most touching things he said was, (and it brings tears again as I write it), "I am her nurse until she leaves". We had all hoped when she left the hospital that she would be going to rehab and then home. Sadly, that is not how it went. Before she and we left, he said to her, "Grace, I am thankful and happy to have gotten the opportunity to meet you."

At a very shocking and unpleasant (to say the least) time and event for our family, we are thankful to have met some great people, especially Edriss, who provided care as well as friendship, beyond nurse to patient, for Grandma and our family.